White House press secretary Jay Carney responded today to a question about a Jay-Z lyric involving President Obama from the rapper's Brooklyn Nets diss track. As this exclusive transcript indicates, it was not the session's only musical digression.
"The gentleman...I believe the gentleman has admitted to shooting the sheriff...but the President does believe it is his right to enter a plea of self-defense at trial."
Via: Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP
White House Daily Press Briefing
4/11/2013
Jay Carney: Ok, we've got a lot of things today. The President's new budget proposal, chained CPI, gun control legislation. Let's start over here, Jessica Yellin.
Jessica Yellin, CNN: Jay, I'm sure you're aware of Jay-Z and Beyonce's recent trip to Cuba and the controversy surrounding that...
JC: Yes...
JY: Well, Jay-Z released a rap song today. Some of the lyrics: "You gettin' too much bread, they try to jam you / Boy from the hood but got White House clearance," and a little later...uh...let's see..."Obama said 'chill, you gonna get me impeached' / But you don't need this shit anyway / Chill with me on the beach." When did the White House OK Jay-Z's Cuba trip and how often does the President communicate with Jay-Z?
JC: It's Treasury that handles authorizing travel to Cuba and it's my understanding that the group they traveled with was OK'd. (chuckles) The President does not communicate with Jay-Z.
JY: But, Jay-Z mentions here references a conversation with the President pertaining to Cuba....
JC: That's a song; those are song lyrics. That's a metaphor. Next, ummm, Ed Henry.
Ed Henry, FOX News: Jay, I'd like to draw your attention to a song by Johnny Cash where he...uh...here it is...where he admits to shooting a man. In Reno. Has Justice moved on this case at all, and if not why is the AG [attorney general] dragging his feet on this?
JC: Again these are song lyrics...and anyway I believe this song was released some years ago. I don't even think the President was alive...
EH: The statute of limitations on murder never runs out...
JC: I've stated our position. Next...Jake Tapper.
Jake Tapper, CNN: Jay, Bob Marley admits to, not only the murder of a law enforcement officer, but seems to intimate that he has knowledge of the murder of a second. He also mentions marijuana trafficking as the probable motive for the murder of the second man...uh...a Sheriff, John Brown...any chance this is Aryan Brotherhood...
JC: Ok, let's move on... David Brody.
David Brody, CBN: Jay, Eric Clapton recently said "if you wanna get out you need to take her out, cocaine." Seems like a clear issue for the DEA, no? Or has the White House put drug issues on the back burner?
JC: (sigh)...You know, I don't...for one Eric Clapton didn't even write that song. Next, let's see..non-music questions, OK? Rob Reynolds.
Rob Reynolds, Al-Jazeera: Jay, Steve Miller has stated emphatically his intent to "fly like an eagle into the future." Who regulates time-travel technology, FAA? Does the Pentagon have this technology and wouldn't altering the time-stream be a national security concern? I'm a little fuzzy on the time-stream thing, but my son recently watched Looper and he assures me...
JC: Next. Chuck Todd.
Chuck Todd, NBC: Jay, by his own admission, Sammy Hagar refuses to comply with federally mandated highway speed limits...
JC: That's it, we're done.